


Intoxicating Illusion

by oly_chic



Series: Prowl Week 2020 [7]
Category: Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers Generation One
Genre: M/M, No Interfacing, Underage Drinking, just a first kiss, prowl week
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-25
Updated: 2020-04-25
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:13:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,455
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23842801
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oly_chic/pseuds/oly_chic
Summary: Smokescreen and Bluestreak convince their friend Prowl to try an underage drinking club. Barricade brings himself along, and he's got plans for a virgin Prowl.
Series: Prowl Week 2020 [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1709596
Kudos: 16
Collections: Prowl Week





	Intoxicating Illusion

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: "Free Choice", so I literally picked free choice.
> 
> Mechling = teenager. They're like the equivalent of 17 or 18 yr. olds nearing HS graduation.
> 
> While in another fic I used electric sensitivity to describe a sense that might be construed as taste in robots, I just flat out said taste in here to keep it simple.
> 
> I don't own Transformers.

"Come on, you can do it. Join us," Smokescreen beckoned Prowl to join Bluestreak and him. For good measure Smokescreen threw his arm around a shy Bluestreak's shoulders. "You don't want this innocent mechling to get into trouble?"

"I would think the correct outcome for that argument is to make Bluestreak stays here," Prowl pointed out. He crossed his arms.

"Aw, what's the harm?" Smokescreen asked.

"The first harm of many is if we get caught sneaking out of the academy. We'll be in serious trouble if they find out we're going to a club that doesn't care about underage drinking."

Bluestreak's shy expression morphed into a wanting expression. "Please, Prowl? I've never tried it before but everyone I know has. Everyone except you, of course."

He sighed. "Why do I need to come?"

Smokescreen shrugged and released Bluestreak. "Because Blue feels safer with you. I'm not about to make someone feel insecure. That's just no fun for them or me."

Prowl looked into Bluestreak's optics fully intending to try convincing him to stay. However, after more than a breem of pleading from the two of them and Bluestreak's hopeful face, Prowl knew he was defeated. "I'll be chaperon the whole time."

Smokescreen grinned but shook his helm. "No way, you're going to have at least two drinks. After that you can sober up and play chaperon."

Prowl's mouth twitched at the requirement but he nodded.

"Thank you, Prowl!" Bluestreak smiled.

"Great!" Smokescreen exclaimed. "Sneaking off is easy. I've done it a million times. Just follow me and we'll never get caught."

They were caught before they left the campus. It wasn't an adult that caught them but another student, named Barricade. "What are you two nerds and poor sport doing?"

"Ahh!" they jumped when the voice came from behind them in the dark. On instinct Prowl took a fighters stance as he turned, and the other two just whirled around.

Smokescreen spoke first. "Barricade? What are _you_ doing out? And don't call me a poor sport."

"Gamblers are always poor sports. And I'm out because I followed you here from the dormitory when I saw you go out. You're turn."

"We're taking a walk," Smokescreen claimed.

"Yeah," Bluestreak hastily agreed, "we're taking a walk and definitely not to some place illegal for mechlings like us!"

Smokescreen scowled and Prowl closed his optics even as he held his stance. Barricade tilted his helm. "What kind of illegal places?"

"The none-of-your-business kind," Smokescreen replied.

"Really? I don't know what none-of-your-business illegal places are. Maybe I should ask an instructor. Or I could just force an answer from you," Barricade didn't put forth much effort into masking the threat.

That response was why Prowl hadn't come out of fighting stance. There was much trust between Barricade and him. If anything, Barricade seemed to have a tendency to pick on him.

Smokescreen held up his hands. "Fine, fine, you can come check it out with us. We're going to a club that overlooks student status."

"Really?" Barricade looked at Prowl with a peculiar expression. "Going to keep that stance the whole time?"

Prowl finally stood up normally. "Only if you start something."

Smokescreen interrupted Barricade before he could speak. "Before that starts, maybe we should all be quiet. Now follow me, everyone."

The club was literally underground with the staircase in a dark and dirty alley. They passed the bouncer without their identity chips being checked, and Prowl wondered what was the point of a bouncer outside the door. His optics lingered on the Praxian bouncer for a moment until the bouncer started to look in his direction. Prowl jerked his helm down and followed behind the group.

"Here it is," Smokescreen introduced the club. Prowl looked back up and was not entirely impressed at it, but it was better than he was expecting after seeing the entrance. The walls were green with blue shinny highlights dancing across them, and pictures of musicians and actors hung up in random patterns. There was a bar to his right, and straight ahead a black door with a window that read "Dance Floor." Currently no one was dancing from what he could see, but some were in the drinking area and more were behind him.

Bluestreak frowned. "I don't know what to order. I don't know anything about high grade."

"Step aside then, Blue," Smokescreen cracked his knuckles. "I know how to work this. First round's on me. Remember, Prowl, you got to drink this round and next."

Prowl muttered about that being a bad deal. Nevertheless he knew it was the deal he made and would abide. When Smokescreen and Bluestreak came back with the shots to their table Prowl gulped it down. It tasted very strange and he didn’t care for it. "How long until we should do the next one?"

Bluestreak coughed. "I thought you said it would be smooth to the taste!"

"It is smooth, for high grade," Smokescreen explained. "Not top-shelf smooth, but smooth enough. And Prowl, we can do shot after shot and hit five or six with no breaks."

Barricade derisively laughed. "I wouldn't recommend that. Especially for these lightweights."

"Alright, Barricade," Smokescreen challenged, "You and me - we do another shot now, and then everyone again in two breems."

"I'm game."

Prowl wasn't sure if he was game to having a second shot so soon, but at least he would be getting his two drinks in and done with quickly. He watched Barricade come back with two drinks and the two tossed them back.

It was just as Smokescreen halted the three-sided conversation to get the next round that the stoic Prowl suddenly felt a warmth take over him. Then it lifted him up in a floating sensation. He shook his helm to dispel it, but it didn't go away. Instead there was a new addition of calmness surrounding him. What was that about?

If that was the sensation of intoxication setting in, then he could deal with that carefully. With any luck that was all it would be. The drink appeared in front of him and Smokescreen cheerfully said, "Bottoms up!"

He complied. "Now what?"

Bluestreak gagged and made a suggestion. "Now we go dancing?"

"Not yet," Smokescreen stopped the youngest one from moving. "Got to give the high grade a breem or two to take effect. When you and Prowl got that look in your optics, we'll go."

"What look?"

"Yes, what look?" Prowl asked.

"I don't know exactly what look it'll be," Smokescreen confessed. "But I've been around enough drinkers to know what the different looks are. When your drunk look shows up I'll know."

Prowl really hoped Smokescreen wouldn't find out what was his drunk look because Prowl hoped two drinks two breems apart wasn't enough. And it would stay at only two drinks, he was certain.

"Now?" Bluestreak asked as soon as two breems passed, when the drinks arrived. He moved closer to Smokescreen, but whether that was for an answer or to avoid the crowd bumping into him Prowl couldn't tell.

"Sure. How you feeling?"

"Good!"

"Prowl, how are you feeling?" Smokescreen asked.

"Yeah," Barricade asked as he leaned in closer to Prowl. "How do you feel?"

"Fine, completely and totally fine." The floating was less bothersome, and the warmth was cozy. Everything was so calm. If anything it was too calm, even with the crowd, and impulsively he said, "I think there needs to be music. What about that music box? What's the best song that's currently popular? I'm not much of one for following popularity." Prowl cut himself off, realizing that was babbling for him. Why did that happen?

Barricade grinned and Smokescreen offered a half smile, his optics starting to glaze over. "Prowl, we're going dancing. We can mess around with the music box later when we need a break."

"Yay," Bluestreak cheered. "This'll be so much fun." He tugged on Prowl's hand and the floaty mechling got up. All of them followed Smokescreen to the dance floor.

Prowl was shocked by the loudness of the dance floor, and the size of the crowd. The room was large enough that a crowd could still dance, but he wasn't expecting at least twenty people! Was this normal for clubs?

"Come on!" Bluestreak pulled them all into an open spot and started dancing. Prowl tried, his peds feeling a little lighter than normal, but he wasn't as lively as the rest of them. A song passed and then Barricade excused himself without reason. Prowl thought it strange until a song later a cup was shoved into his hand.

"What's this?" he asked Barricade as the black Praxian passed the drinks around the group.

"A drink."

"I negotiated with Smokescreen that I only had to drink two high grade beverages." Prowl stopped dancing.

Barricade scoffed. "You negotiated that with Smokey but not with me. Just the one, alright?"

Would trouble come his way if he had one more? So far he felt good but not too good. He drank it quickly so he didn't dwell on it. The drink tasted delicious. "What is this?"

"A mix instead of straight high grade, like what we were drinking before."

Smokescreen sipped and frowned. "Is this a double?"

"Yeah."

"Prowl, Blue, sip yours slowly. Ah, damn it guys."

Prowl furrowed his optic ridges and asked, "What's a double?"

"Yeah," Blue added, "was it why this was so tasty?"

"No, it means two shots in one drink. You just doubled up what you had in two breems in, like, kliks."

Bluestreak shrugged. "Oops."

Barricade smirked. "Yeah, oops."

It wasn't even two breems before Prowl felt a surge of confidence at his dancing steps, and yet it was hard to focus on what those steps were supposed to look like. Who cares, he was good at it regardless.

Smokescreen suddenly laughed and Prowl noticed his drink was empty. "Didn't want to lose out, Smokescreen?"

The blue and red Praxian laughed again. "Prowl, did you just slur your words?"

"What?" He sounded fine to himself.

Barricade looked at Smokescreen. "Enjoyed the drink?"

"Yeah, it was a good choice," he nodded.

The music died down and then roared to life with a song Prowl didn't recognize. He looked at his peds to figure out how to move them to the beat when he heard Smokescreen say, "Uh-oh, partner song. Okay, Barricade, as thanks for getting the yummy double, you have a free choice of which dance partner you want."

"Prowl."

"Whoa, really?" Smokescreen had a shocked expression on when Prowl looked up. Prowl was also confused. What was going on? "Why?"

"Free choice means I don't have to explain myself."

"Okay, sure, sure." Smokescreen gestured to Prowl with an open palm. "Have fun, but like, not too much fun."

His hand was caught by Barricade's hand and Prowl felt himself pulled into Barricade. He steadied himself upright. "What are we doing?"

"Just follow me. It's a stupid poppy little song but it's good for simple partner moves." Barricade took Prowl's hands. "Now watch my peds and do the same thing but with the opposite ped."

_He sounds more clear than Smokescreen_. Prowl wondered why but didn't have time to process that thought. Barricade moved in a three-step fashion, and then progressed to a six-step fashion. It took all of Prowl's limited thinking power to keep up with six steps.

Maybe it was his time to lead, Prowl thought with unexpected courage. Next song he would make up the steps.

When the next song came, Prowl exclaimed, "Now it's my turn to show you what six steps to follow."

"You probably shouldn't try. Your slurring is a little worse, Prowl."

He should've been alarmed or annoyed by that, but he wasn't. Instead he pointed to his peds and started trying a six-step off the top of his helm.

Barricade's laugh was almost missed under all the noise, but Prowl heard it fine enough. What was that about?

"Prowl, I think you need some regular energon to dilute what's in your system. Come with me, I'll take care of you."

"I'm fine."

"No, you're not." With a tug they were moving until they were out the door and at the bar. Prowl waited behind Barricade and noted how warm but good he felt.

"This way," Barricade nudged him to a side door. They went out into a semi-private area. There was a lamp in the middle, illuminating only the center and not the far corners. In the furthest corner there was some couple, but he didn't care. He let Barricade lead them to a different dark corner. "Prowl, you should sit down. You're walking a bit crooked."

"Am I?" Prowl sipped the regular energon and found it a bit bland. "This isn't as good as the last drank you gave me."

Barricade sat down in the chair right next to him, giving them almost no room apart. "That's because they make more money per drink on that one than this one. Tell me, what do you do for fun?"

"I spend much of my time studying for myself or tutoring my friends."

"Smokey and Blue?"

"Yes."

Barricade rubbed Prowl's arm. "That's not for fun. What do you do when you're done studying?"

What was with the arm rubbing? Prowl couldn't concentrate on it enough to figure it out. His arm felt warmer, though. "Sometimes I do puzzles. There's not anyone who can join me on games."

"Tell me about these puzzles."

Prowl did exactly as asked, enthusiastically talking about his latest set of puzzles. Barricade nodded along until he interrupted Prowl. "Sounds fascinating. So when you aren't studying or doing puzzles, do you spend time with others?"

"No," Prowl drew out questioningly. "I said no one can really play games with me."

"There's more to others than just games."

"Like...?"

"Like romantic activities." Did Barricade say that a little quieter? His arm rubbing had paused.

Prowl looked down to his lap and fiddled with his half-empty cup. "Oh, yes, that."

The arm rubbing resumed. "What's the matter, Prowl? Not much of one for romance?"

"Not particularly," he answered with a shrug.

"Maybe you haven't had good luck. What was your first kiss like?"

Now his arm had to be really flush just like the rest of his body. Truthfully he'd never kissed anyone. That was bad, right? "Umm... sloppy." He's heard others say that.

"Sloppy? Sloppy how?"

He shrugged. "Just sloppy."

The rubbing on his arm paused. "You've never been kissed," Barricade said with awe.

"Have so!"

"Have not," Barricade argued back.

Prowl dropped his helm between his shoulders. "Have so."

"Have not. Do you want one?" Prowl looked to Barricade, who leaned into Prowl. "Because I'm thinking a mechling shouldn't graduate the academy without his first kiss."

"Wait, what?" Prowl leaned back and shook his helm, trying to dispel the confusing cloud hovering inside his brain module.

Barricade touched Prowl's opposite shoulder. "I'd like you to remember me... and I like you."

Prowl stared at Barricade's hand and then at Barricade's optics. "You like me? Like, like _like_ me?" That sounded articulate.

He chuckled. "Yeah, I like _like_ you." His hand tugged Prowl to look at him more squarely, and then that hand lazily drifted up to Prowl's face to tug on his chin.

Prowl's vents had hitched as soon as Barricade confirmed he 'liked' Prowl. The first touches to his body grew in intensity for him, although he was somewhat certain it wasn't from any force on Barricade's part. At least not until Barricade got to his face where there was a firmer touch.

Someone liked him and was about to kiss him! That was more intoxicating than the high grade coursing through his systems. Barricade leaned in and Prowl felt a little panic rise up. Wasn't he supposed to do something first? Tilt something?

Barricade's helm tilted slightly and their noses almost brushed each other as Barricade moved to softly place his lips on Prowl's. The softness was very short-lived as Barricade's lips pressed more firmly on Prowl's and began to move. His spark felt like it was moving along with him, in eager pulses.

His only coherent thought was to copy Barricade. Clumsily he moved his lips with movements slightly slower than Barricade's. A glossa touched the inside edge of Prowl's bottom lip. What did he do with that?

The glossa started pressing forward with some force. He made a little "O" in surprise and the glossa used the motion to slip into his mouth. Another rush of confusion and excitement filled him.

There was an abrupt tug on his shoulder furthest away from Barricade. Prowl had lost all stiffness in his body and he slipped away from Barricade in the direction of the tug. All the more confused about what was happening, Prowl looked up to see Smokescreen. His lips were pressed tight and his optics were bright.

Barricade's voice wasn't nearly as sweet as it was moments ago. "What do you want, Smokey?"

"I think it's time to go back inside." The clarity in Smokescreen's voice was unexpected. There was something else to his tone. "Or maybe you go inside and I talk to Prowl."

"Don't want me looking after him?"

"Oh no, it's most certainly not that. I need to talk to Prowl about another private matter. I trust you _so much_ that I think it'd be great for me to trust you to look after Blue. He's cleaning up in the wash room because he spilled his regular engeron on him in the dance floor."

"That sounds like a job for his friend, which is you."

Smokescreen's pressed lips turned into a frown as Prowl watched. "I'm having some problems walking. Maybe you can walk Blue back here and give me a moment to find my legs."

"You just suddenly lost your legs," Barricade replied deadpan.

"Yeah, just suddenly happened. Now go find Blue so we can all go back before things get too crazy."

Barricade huffed. "Fine. I'll be back in a nanoklik."

As soon as Barricade disappeared Smokescreen took the vacated seat. "What do you think you're doing?"

Prowl cycled his optics. "What?"

"Kissing him. What was that?"

"It was kissing. I don't understand the question." Prowl shook his helm. If only that damn fog would clear.

"Why were you kissing him? Did you ever think that maybe he's playing you? He's a bully and he's too sober for someone who supposedly had five shots in a short amount of time."

"But I wanted it," Prowl argued.

"Did you, or did you just go along with it?"

"What's with all these hard questions?" Prowl was becoming annoyed.

"Hard? You think these are hard?" Smokescreen vented hard. "They're probably on their way over here and you can't think right. Let's talk in the morning in private when you're done with your hangover."

"Fine," Prowl agreed while crossing his arms.

They were silent for a few more kliks when Bluestreak and Barricade showed up. Bluestreak looked a little dazed. "We going?" he asked.

"Yeah, we're going," Smokescreen answered.

The walk back wasn't easy for Prowl, but it was obviously much harder on Bluestreak. Smokescreen was trying to lead them while staying between Prowl and Barricade, but Bluestreak kept falling behind and weaving as he walked.

Finally Smokescreen made a frustrated noise and pulled Bluestreak up front with him, thus pulling himself also out from being sandwiched between the other two Praxians. "Blue, I'm going to hold onto you and you're going to hold onto me. Try to look completely steady and like we're giddy about each other instead of being drunken mechlings."

Bluestreak and Smokescreen managed to get a few paces ahead of Prowl. He decided he needed to step more swiftly so he didn't get lost.

"You're weaving, too," Barricade whispered into his audio. "Let me hold you so you can walk straight."

That was all the warning he got before Barricade grabbed hold of him tightly around the shoulders. "Now," Barricade continued, "wrap your arm around my arm. Do it so you won't hurt yourself."

Prowl felt a new flushness grow, where Barricade was touching him and on his checks. He put his arm around Barricade's as instructed. How lucky he was to have someone care about him, or at least like him enough to kiss him and care to make sure he made it home safely. Strange that Barricade was pulling his arm in tight to the point it was starting to hurt.

Maybe it would make sense in the morning when he could think back better on his first kiss. His first kiss... he touched his lips and smiled. Things were finally working out nicely.


End file.
